Elected in 2013: Cara Hilton (Lab)
Party Candidate Votes +/– % +/–
Labour Cara Hilton 10275 -145 42.5 +6.9
SNP Shirley-Anne Somerville 7402 -3608 30.6 -7.0
Liberal Democrat Susan Leslie 2852 -2924 11.8 -7.9
Conservative James Reekie 2009 -84 8.3 +1.2
UKIP Peter Adams 908 +908 3.7 +3.7
Scottish Green Party Zara Kitson 593 +593 2.4 +2.4
Independent John Black 161 +161 0.7 +0.7
Majority 2873 Turnout 24200 Swing +6.9% Lab gain
Elected in 2011: Bill Walker (SNP)
Party Candidate Votes +/– % +/–
SNP Bill Walker 11010 +4457 37.6 +13.5
Labour Alex Rowley 10420 +1467 35.6 +2.7
Liberal Democrat Jim Tolson * 5776 -3254 19.7 -13.5
Conservative James Reekie 2093 +300 7.1 -1.2
Majority 590 Turnout 29299 Swing +5.4% SNP gain
The area covers most of the Dunfermline West Westminster constituency, the scene for possibly the Liberal Democrats’ most famous by-election victory. At Holyrood the seat was formed from parts of Dunfermline East and Dunfermline West, and the SNP surprised many to come from 3rd to win in 2011. Jim Tolson, who had taken Dunfermline West from Labour in 2007, was not returned to Holyrood.

Bill Walker’s protracted departure following his conviction for domestic abuse meant a by-election was held on 25 October 2013. Labour’s Cara Hilton won comfortably, with the Lib Dems and the SNP both being squeezed.

Notes: Given boundary changes since 2007, variations in votes and share between seats with different boundaries would be misleading. We use the Denver figures, essentially a calculation of the 2007 votes cast within 2011 boundaries. More information on this here.

Symbols used:

* – Incumbent
^ – Challenger holding a list seat in previous Parliament
# – Lost deposit
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